Picture Credit: IPL
As Coronavirus cases continue to rise in India, there are questions over how the IPL 2021 will unfold. Mumbai, one of the venues for hosting matches of the competition, appears to be the worst hit with over 8 thousand fresh cases reported on Friday. Moreover, several members of the ground staff at Wankhede Stadium have also tested positive. Reports now claim that the Mumbai matches can be shifted to Hyderabad.
BCCI keeps Hyderabad in the contingency plan for IPL 2021
A report carried by ESPNCricinfo claims that the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Hyderabad is in the contingency plan for IPL 2021. If the situation does not improve prior to the start of the tournament, it is likely that the matches be shifted there. However, as of now, the Board remains confident that it will be able to conduct matches in the designated venues even as Karnataka's Bengaluru and Maharashtra's Mumbai remain COVID hotspots.
Giving an indication for a complete lockdown: Maharashtra CM
The Chief Minister of the state of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray has already hinted at a complete lockdown in the state, terming the second wave of the pandemic as a more severe one than the earlier. However, the CM said that protocols need to be followed and failing may lead to the extreme step. However, the BCCI has been assured by the state that such developments will not hamper the conduct of the tournament as the matches are being played behind closed doors inside bio-bubbles.